Surname Teich - Meaning and Origin
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Teich: What does the surname Teich mean?
The German surname Teich is derived from the Middle High German word ‘teich’ which means ‘pond’ or ‘lake’. This surname likely originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near or worked at a pond or lake. As the German language spread eastward, this surname also spread to Austria, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. Variations of this surname include Tich, Teych, Deich, and Dych.
Teich is a common surname in Germany to this day, and is also common in countries with German heritage such as the United States and Canada. Those with the Teich surname in Germany may have originally come from the city of Teichstedt in northern Bavaria, located near the Neuburgebene Lake and surrounded by swamps and ponds. It is also possible that people with this surname may have come from a residence near one of the many ponds found in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, which has more than 20,000 ponds spread across its region.
The Teich surname is associated with various notable figures in history such as Johannes Teich, a fifteenth century German theologian and historian, and Julius Teich a nineteenth century German politician. In modern times, the Teich surname is still quite common across the world and its origin and meaning continues to be associated with the presence of a pond or lake.
Order DNA origin analysisTeich: Where does the name Teich come from?
The last name Teich can be commonly found in several countries today, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, and Israel.
In the United States, the Teich surname has roots in the German language, historically being found in high concentrations in the midwestern U.S. States of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Historically, these states were the primary destination of 19th and 20th century German immigrants. In modern times, the last name Teich is found in moderately high population numbers in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan.
In Canada, the last name Teich can be found mainly in Ontario and British Columbia, two provinces which received an influx of German immigrants throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In Ontario, the surname is particularly dense in the area around Toronto.
Much of the Teich population in Germany is concentrated in Bavaria, a state in the Southeast corner of the country where many German immigrants emigrated from during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Teich surname also has roots in Austria, where it was first found in Bohemia during the 17th century.
Israel, as a traditional home to many Jews, is also home to a surprisingly large number of Teich surnamed families. Modern day Teich surname holders living in Israel generally have roots in either Hungary or Ukraine.
Variations of the surname Teich
The surname Teich has many alternate spellings and variants, all of which evolved from the same original German word, meaning ‘pond’ or ‘derive’. The following are some of the more common variants:
Teichman – a combination of the words ‘teich’ and ‘mann’, meaning ‘man of the pond’.
Tice – a variant spelling of Teich, commonly found in English speaking countries.
Ditsche – a German variant of Teich.
Titch – an alternate spelling of Teich.
Teyss – a French spelling of Teich.
Teche – a variation on the traditional spelling.
Tetke – a Dutch variant of Teich.
Tag – the Swedish spelling of Teich.
Tash – a Bulgarian version of Teich.
Teck – an infrequently seen version of the surname.
Tety – a Polish derivative of Teich.
Täck – an alternate spelling of Tag, the Swedish variant.
Tyio – Estonian version of Teich.
Taich – an archaic spelling of Teich.
The spelling and variants of Teich are just as diverse as its bearers; today this ancient surname is found all over the world where people of German, Austrian, Swiss, Polish, Dutch, Finnish, and Czech extraction reside.
Famous people with the name Teich
- Cynthia Teich Graubart: Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer
- John F. Teich: former US Under Secretary of Defense
- Kathryn Teich: World War II veteran
- Lindsey Teich: professional comedian and author 5.Marshall Teich: International music competition judge and vocal coach
- Paul Teich: lake researcher, active in the field for over fifty years
- Rachel Teich: competitive swimmer and Olympian
- Robert Teich: former psychiatric technician and humanitarian
- Robert S. Teich: former US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and Medal of Honor recipient
- Sheila Teich: classical flautist.